Aporometridae is a monotypic family of crinoids, the only genus being ''Aporometra'', which contains three species, all endemic to the seas around Australia.

Description

Members of this family have five arms which subdivide near the base giving them ten arms in total. The arms can reach in length and at the base of the calyx there are up to 25 cirri, often longer than the arms. Unique among Comatulida, the cirri are flattened on the underside. The

gonad A gonad, sex gland, or reproductive gland is a mixed gland that produces the gametes and sex hormones of an organism. Female reproductive cells are egg cells, and male reproductive cells are sperm. The male gonad, the testicle, produces sper ...

s are located on the pinnules and not on the arms, and the embryos are brooded in cavities in the arms.

Species

The World Register of Marine Species lists the following species in this genus: * ''

Aporometra occidentalis Aporometridae is a monotypic family of crinoids, the only genus being ''Aporometra'', which contains three species, all endemic to the seas around Australia. Description Members of this family have five arms which subdivide near the base gi ...

'' HL Clark, 1938 * ''

Aporometra paedophora ''Aporometra paedophora'' is a marine invertebrate, a species of crinoid or feather star in the family Aporometridae. It was first found at a depth of 22 fathoms (40.2 m) off the Manning River on the New South Wales coast. Other specimens wer ...

'' (HL Clark, 1909) * ''

Aporometra wilsoni ''Aporometra wilsoni'' is a marine invertebrate, a species of crinoid or feather star in the family Aporometridae. It is found in shallow water around the coasts of southern Australia. Description This is a small species of crinoid with a ...

'' (Bell, 1888)

References

Comatulida Echinoderm families Taxa named by Hubert Lyman Clark Animals described in 1938 {{crinoidea-stub